A paper feeding device sequentially feeds a plurality of stacked and overlapped recording mediums, such as sheets, toward a transport path. The paper feeding device includes a paper feeding cassette, a pickup roller, a pair of rollers, and an inclination unit. The paper feeding cassette accommodates the plurality of stacked and overlapped sheets. The paper feeding cassette has a stacking surface on which the sheets are placed. The pickup roller delivers the plurality of stacked and overlapped sheets in sequence toward the transport path. The pair of rollers is arranged further downstream than the pickup roller in a transport direction of the recording medium. The pair of rollers includes a paper feeding roller, and a separation roller. The inclination unit is arranged between the pickup roller and the pair of rollers in the transport direction of the recording medium. The inclination unit is fixed at a fixed position. The inclination unit has an inclined surface which is inclined upwards on the downstream side in the transport direction. The inclination unit applies frictional force from the inclined surface to the sheet which is delivered from the pickup roller.
However, if the inclination unit is fixed at the fixed position, in a case where an inclination angle of the stacking surface on which the sheet is placed is changed, an angle of the sheet when the sheet approaches the inclined surface is changed. Hereinafter, the angle when the sheet approaches the inclined surface is referred to as “approach angle to the inclined surface”.
If the approach angle to the inclined surface is too large, the sheet may collide with the inclined surface, and a paper jam may occur.
On the other hand, if the approach angle to the inclined surface is too small, the frictional force of the inclined surface to the sheet is lowered. Therefore, there is a case where it is not possible to handle a plurality of overlapped sheets with the inclined surface, due to a friction coefficient between the sheets, a surface condition of the sheets or the like. In this case, if the plurality of overlapped sheets are transported to the pair of rollers, it is not possible to separate the plurality of sheets from each other by the separation roller, and an overlapped transport may occur.